Within Darkness We Find Love
by ladyasile
Summary: Kurama finds himself drawn to a mystery. Secrets unfold, pain is spread, and love is the most unlikely thing. Yaoi. Eventual HK. Sorry for the bad summary.
1. Chapter 1

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

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Chapter 1: Of Whispered Truths**

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A/N: I've had this idea for the longest time, so I knew I could no longer ignore it. And yes, this will be yet another story from my twisted and weird imagination! Special thanks to my beta, Brokenshardsofmyheart99! And another thanks to everyone that ever reviewed any of my stories, and the song "The Sharpest Lives" by My Chemical Romance, which my sister so kindly introduced me to. (Well, she made me buy the CD.)

Disclaimer: No, I don't own YYH nor the song. Gosh, I wish I did.

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Well it rains and it pours  
When you're out on your own  
If I crash on the couch  
Can I sleep in my clothes?  
'Cause I've spent the night dancing  
I'm drunk, I suppose  
If it looks like I'm laughing  
I'm really just asking to leave

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The redheaded teenage boy gazed up at the gate-encircled mansion that had captured his attention from the first moment he ever laid eyes on it. With green eyes full of determination, he gulped and carefully made his way to the entrance of the mansion. Any other sane person would have stayed away, but he was there for a reason, and that reason was mere curiosity. Looking at how menacing the mansion looked, he shook his head and cursed himself for ever being so foolish as to listen to his friends.

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Earlier That Day_

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"So, what are you doing this weekend, Kurama?" his raven-haired friend asked, with slight interest. "Going to the internet and looking at porn?"

Kurama made a mental note about planning Yusuke's death later on and making it see like an accident that would be impossible for him to pull off, and avoid all suspicion. "No. Honestly, I do not have anything planned for the weekend. There is homework to do, but I suppose I can finish that today," he answered.

Yusuke sighed and slapped Kurama on the back. "Dorky as ever. I swear, there should be a law against people like you."

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "People who actually study and not get their answers from prostituting their bodies to the faculty? I agree." Green eyes sparkled with amusement as he saw how Yusuke stuck out his tongue at him. His friend could most probably beat him to a bloody pulp, but never did. Though he knew that Yusuke regularly picked fights with his challenger, a fellow student by the name of Kazuma Kuwabara. Surprisingly, all three had become relatively close. The third man of the group was only missing since he had detention after snoozing off in class again.

"Nah. I meant people that are drop-dead sexy and don't even realize it," Yusuke said sarcastically before growing a more serious tone. "Are you aware that over half the school is flirting with you throughout each school day? You get asked out on more dates a day, than the amount of times that I've fought Kuwabara!"

Kurama stopped walking and looked away from Yusuke. With a sigh, he retorted, "And not everyone at school has gotten harassed by their admirers, have they?"

Yusuke realized he had hit a soft spot. He grimaced before answering. "That guy was crazy. He admired you, but in a stalker kind of way. And he's locked up now! Move on with your life, Kurama. That happened a long time ago."

Understanding that Yusuke only wanted to help and cheer him up, Kurama nodded and faked a genuine smile. "You're right! So, what are you doing with your new girlfriend tomorrow?"

This time it was Yusuke who stopped dead on his tracks. "Shit! I forgot she said yes to my date invitation!"

Kurama shook his head. At times he had wondered if his friend was at all in control of his own brain. "How could you forget? You've been chasing Keiko ever since you saw her!"

Yusuke chuckled. "Oh, yeah. The time I looked under her skirt!"

Kurama punched Yusuke playfully on the arm. "Do not mention that to her, ever!"

"Whatever. So, I was thinking that for… Hey, look."

The redhead turned to see where his friend was pointing at. He noticed the familiar mansion, surrounded by the iron gates and fence. He could feel his hart stop beating as he looked up at it. "What is it…" Before he could finish asking as to what his friend wanted him to see, Kurama noticed it.

A cloaked figure was hunched in front of the mansion, within the gates and fence, just looking at it. The figure didn't move or did anything of the sort. It was then that the green-eyed teen felt chills go up his spine.

They resumed their walking and fled from the scene as soon as they could. Their feet carried them all the way to Yusuke's house before they felt tired. "Who the hell was that?" Yusuke asked in between catching his breath.

Kurama shrugged. "I was not aware that anyone lived in that mansion. Well, maybe it is the homeowner."

"You sure it's not the monster?" Both teens jumped up and noticed their third member of their group.

"Kuwabara!" They smiled at the orange-haired teen. And before either of them could ask, he answered their question. "They let me out early since they forgot that they had a meeting with the students that peeped into the girls' locker room."

"Amateurs. They got caught because they started to masturbate," said Yusuke in his carefree tone.

"Yusuke!" Kurama was about to scold his friend, but was suddenly interrupted by Kuwabara.

"Hey, you know the murders that took place in that creepy mansion?" Kurama shook his head and Yusuke nodded.

Yusuke cleared his throat and began to tell the story. "A couple of years back, before any of us were born or something, this bitch went crazy and killed her husband. She hid his body, after snatching up his heart from his chest," Kuwabara shuddered, but Yusuke kept going, "About a couple of months later, she gave birth to two boys. However," Yusuke paused and looked at the other two teens straight in the eye, "She nearly killed the two."

Kuwabara shuddered again. Kurama looked curious, a little too much for his own good. "What happened to them? Was that who we saw outside the mansion? And how do you know all this? Do you have your sources? Did you make this up?"

Yusuke slapped his hand over his redheaded friend's mouth to keep him from asking any more questions. "First, I do have my sources. They're called the news, mom, and annoying neighbor lady. Second, I'm not making this up. Hell, I keep failing school so I'm not that creative. Third, this was made public a couple of years before you moved to this area, Kurama. And, honestly, that person we saw couldn't be either of the two bastards. They died."

Green eyes watered a little. "How tragic. How did they die?" Kurama asked with sympathy.

Yusuke smirked. "One killed the other and ate him. The one that lived probably committed suicide since he never came out from the house."

Kuwabara spoke up for the first time in a while. "Urameshi, how the heck did the two managed to stay there? Wouldn't they have been sent to an orphanage?

Yusuke nodded. "They were, but both went missing soon after. The police thought that they were dead, until the house was finally bought after being on the market for so long."

"How did they know they were alive?" Kurama asked, gulping after having asked his question. He felt his hands shiver a little. The story was already macabre enough for his liking.

"The new owners came inside, but ran out in only a minute. They claimed that two boys were in there. I'm not sure why they ran out, no one is. Anyways, the police came and tried to get the boys out since they didn't notice any adults in there." Yusuke took in a deep breath before continuing. "The boys refused to go with them, and even bit the police officers! After bitching a lot, everyone decided to let them live there."

Kuwabara nodded. "I remember now. Years went by and soon they were forgotten. The kids had people to bring them food, clothes, and other stuff they needed. Though a couple of years later… Well, Urameshi already said what happened."

The redhead turned to the direction of the mansion and clenched his fist. "Did the authorities investigate thoroughly to make sure that both were dead?"

Both of the teens that had told the story shrugged. "Not sure," answered Yusuke, "But if one killed the other and ate part of him, then how can the other survive? They did stop helping the two."

Kurama gasped. "How could they? They were children!"

"Easy, Kurama. You know what happens when you get so worked up. Shit, we shouldn't have told you this," Yusuke said as he patted Kurama's back.

"I'm fine. I just wish to know how anyone would stop helping children."

The orange-haired teen sighed. "It was stupid. There were claims that both looked like freaks, and that they weren't right in the head."

Before Kurama could retort, Yusuke added, "And an even more ridiculous, but not impossible, rumor was that both boys had a… Ahem, relationship, if you know what I mean."

Kurama scoffed. "I doubt that really happened. Frankly, I am appalled at how horrible the situation was handled. There is someone living there, and I'm going to see who it is!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara broke into fits of laughter. "Kurama, no offense, but… You? Damn, you got chills from just listening to us! How can you last a minute in there?" Yusuke managed to say.

"Urameshi's right. Look, if you want… All three of us could go tomorrow during the day, okay?"

The redhead teen turned his back to them angrily. However, he knew they were right. With his special condition, there was no way he could go and not be afraid. "Very well. Tomorrow we will all go." and with those words he left.

Kurama got home and noticed that his family was not home. "That's right. They left to go visit my aunt. Why, again?" Instead of pondering about that issue, his mind began to think about the hunched figure in front of the mansion. Deep down, he knew that he had to go despite his condition. Waiting for tomorrow to come would not help. If someone was there right now, then this was his chance to explore the mystery of the mansion even more. As far as he knew, the details of it's ghastly past could be nothing more than rumors taken out of context. Kurama went to his room, did all of his homework, and showered. After getting dressed in some old jeans, faded orange shirt, and a jacket he walked out of his house. The cold night's air made him shiver slightly.

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Present Time_

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"Nothing ventured… Never mind. I have to go in," he whispered. His green eyes scanned the fence for an entry point, as seeing as the gates were locked up tightly. Spotting none, he fell back to his original idea. "And up and over the gates I go," he said through a gasp as he landed on his behind after climbing over the gates. He looked around once more before going to the backside of the mansion.

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TBC?

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A/N: Wow, that took forever to write! I love putting mysteries up!! So much fun to do! So, Kurama goes inside the mansion in the next chapter! Hm, I hope. Thanks for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

**Chapter 2: Uninvited**

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A/N: So sorry for the long delay. Anyway, here's chapter two. Enjoy! Special thanks to my beta Brokenshardsofmyheart99!

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

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This alone, you're in time for the show  
You're the one that I need  
I'm the one that you loathe  
You can watch me corrode like a beast in repose  
'Cause I love all the poison  
Away with the boys in the band

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As he tripped for the ninth time, Kurama made a mental note of never going in through the back of a rumored haunted or just vacant mansion that people feared. The farther in he walked, the more he realized that his plan had made no sense at all. Why had he come alone? It would seem that he just wanted to help at first, but he knew himself better than that. When he acknowledged his true reason, he paused in his walking. He took another glance at the mansion and sighed.

"Perhaps this isn't the right choice," he whispered. After another exhale of breath, he turned to his left and walked away from the back yard. He had taken four mere steps when he felt another chill. It wasn't something out of paranoia, but rather something that he always got when someone had been staring at him for too long. The chill shook him, and he almost feared looking around. Trapped in the dark, he was in the right position for anyone that had taken aim and readied themselves to kill him off.

Whether out of instinct or not, he felt his body get ready, sensing every detail around him. Something told him that whoever was watching him was not outside with him. That left him with three directions: right, left, or in front of him. At times, his senses seemed alien to him. However, now they were proving themselves to be useful to him.

To his left and in front of him were mansions, not of the rich, but of those that had inherited them. And to his right there was a greenhouse that he had spotted when he first came to the back yard. It was too dark to take notice of all the plants around him and inside the greenhouse, but he felt that whoever was staring was not in there. The mansion next to him would make perfect sense if the neighbors were still awake and alive. Dismissing the idea of ghosts or spirits being there now, he turned his sights back on the mansion in front of him.

He had to give credit to Yusuke and Kuwabara now. They weren't joking when it came to how sinister it looked from the outside. The windows were covered in dirt and grime, he guessed. Some parts of the mansion were stained with red. The light was dim, so he couldn't tell if it was paint or worse. Mustering his courage, he decided to venture inside.

Finding a way in was simple, more so since the back door was opened. As he entered, he took notice of the condition of the wooden floor first. It made terrible noises whenever he took a step on it, which made him cringe, clench his teeth, and hold in his breath. The next thing he noticed was the walls. It was not that they were at all like the floor; in fact, they were in perfect condition. Not a scratch or tear in them to ruin the appearance. However, what struck him the most was the lack of furniture. Not a single piece was stationed there or anywhere he could see. There pieces of cloths around the floor and some torn curtains still hung from their proper places, but nothing more. If he would have to guess, he'd say that this was the living room. From where he stood he could see a door, or at least where a door once stood. The hinges were visible, and he could tell it was the entrance to the kitchen from the stove that was still in place.

A need to see more struck him and he began walking to the kitchen. It was in fact smaller than what he had expected from the size of the mansion. Another thing he noticed was the lack of a refrigerator. He could feel sympathy growing within him. The thought of the children that had lived there made him close his eyes. Before his thoughts distracted him further, he walked out of the kitchen area and back into the living room. He made his way out of there and into a small area where the front door met the staircase to go up. Just by looking at the stairs, he could feel his heartbeat start to pick up. At that point, he didn't even know if it was either of fear or thrill.

Allowing himself a brief moment where he swallowed, he took the first step and soon found himself carried off until he was at the last step. It was almost like being in a dream or nightmare. Everything he did now was up to him. To take the first step and face whatever laid within or turn back and run off back to his house and hid underneath his pillow and blanket. While the thought had been entertaining, he brought himself back to the decision. Pulling his hair back into a low ponytail, he took the final step and descended into the too-narrow hallway.

There were no portraits or decorations to indicate a sign of life. All five doors looked the same, and all were opened to him. He went past the first three with no problem. Each time he looked beyond the doors and into the rooms, he would find them empty. It seemed strange, to say the least, but after recalling the rest of the first floor, it didn't seem any stranger. Before reaching the last two rooms, he made sure that his feet didn't make too much noise against the floor. It felt like he was inside one of his favorite horror books. The tension of finding something dreadful kept him moving forward.

Leaning against the wall, he made his way to the second-to last room and peeked in. Unlike all the other ones this room held a bed and the window that was located just in view of the door was opened. The gust of air that came in made the dust in the room fly upward and swirl. It made him sneeze a couple of times, but then the wind died down. A fleeting moment went by, where he thought that someone would come out, awakened or disturbed by his sneezing. However, it seemed that for the moment he was safe.

Not lowering his guard, he walked into the room and headed to the window area. Yet again there was no more furniture with the exception of the bed. Rather than making the situation odder, it made it more tense. Alone, the bed would've seem normal, but he took a closer look. The sheets were filthy, though not having been washed in years would do that to them. They looked almost black, but dry, glimmering spots focused his eyes to see beyond the dust and dirt. "Blood," he muttered. Of course, it was just a guess at first. He'd have to get a sample to figure out the many components embedded in there. A loud creak made him turn towards the door.

His eyes met with a sight that he had not been expecting with what his friends had told him. The darkness that surrounded him in the room got darker and bleaker. His heart was beating faster, too much for him to handle. Just before he fell, he heard the floorboard screech.

When he awoke, he felt someone next to him. Startle, he gasped and moved away from the presence. Whether the presence had moved or his mind had been more deteriorated than he thought, he'd never know. Rather than bumping into nothing, he had fallen into someone's arms. It was when the arms brushed against his skin, that he noticed he no longer had his jacket. His eyes focused better and he also realized that he didn't have his shoes on or the keys to his house that had been inside his jeans pocket, bothering him every time he crouched or walk.

In all honesty, he didn't want to be rude or offend the person that perhaps now held his life in their hands. So rather than back away from the body behind him, he remained motionless. He felt the body go from rigid to a more flaccid position. The arms grabbed hold of him and pushed him back into the bed. He landed on his front, but didn't raise his head.

Shards of his earlier encounter with that person came back to him. He recalled strange-colored eyes. They were ruby red, but held nothing extraordinary in them. The person was a boy, he could tell, but a small one. A mere child had been living here all this time. Aside from the strange eyes, he remembered the hair. It was rather messy, but stuck up like if it defied the laws of gravity. Kurama doubted the child had hair gel to get it like that. And he tattered clothes too, but they did fit him just right. The clothes and haired were black, but he didn't recall seeing the boy wearing any shoes.

Feeling foolish from hiding from a child, he picked his head up and looked around for the boy. He spotted him sitting next to the bed, looking at the floor. At once he remembered what Yusuke and Kuwabara had told him about the children that had lived there. However, upon looking at the boy again, he didn't see any of the deformities that they had claimed the children had. Well, perhaps the eyes were something, but that didn't seem to be so freakish. Or at least not enough that the whole town would fear this house because of it.

Kurama cleared his throat, gaining the boy's attention. The look in the wintry eyes made him clear his throat again before speaking. "Were you the one that brought me to this bed?" he asked, but didn't receive an answer from the boy. After waiting for some time, he talked again. "My name is… Well, you can call me Kurama. And thank you for lending me the bed. Sorry to have collapsed, but it happens sometimes," he explained. The boy didn't make an attempt at speaking to him. He remained rigid and staring at him all the moment.

He sighed, low so it was caught by his ears alone. "Do you want me to leave?" When he had completed his question, he saw the new look in the young boy's eyes. Something within them pleaded him to stay, to help him. It was all useless, though. He had no idea if he was right, or if he was, then what to help the boy from. Still, he considered it discourteous to have been helped, and then run off without returning the favor.

"Would you like to…" Kurama stopped himself. If he asked the boy if he wanted to come with him, he might scare him off, and that was the last thing he wanted at the moment. "Are you comfortable here? Do you require any help?" he asked instead.

The child in black bowed his head before shaking it, the first answer he had given to Kurama. It sparked something, Kurama could tell. "May I ask something else?" he said, changing his strategy a bit. The boy didn't nod or shake his head, so he went ahead. "Why remove my jacket and shoes?" he asked, a little bemused at the idea of someone making him comfortable when he could have died.

It took some time before the boy even gave a sign of answering the question. He stood up and walked over to side of the bed, picked up Kurama's shoes and jacket and shoved them at Kurama. The act seemed a bit rash, but the child's face was not twisted into anger. "Thank you, but I'd like an answer much better than my belongings back," he said, tone soft and gentle. It felt like almost like the time he had first met his younger step-brother. The child's eyes looked away from him, as if he was timid about their situation.

From his memories, he remembered how his step-brother had eased up after he had placed his hand on his slender shoulder. Nevertheless, both situations were different, and he couldn't risk harming the young boy in a single way. The child with strange-colored eyes opened his mouth and began to whisper. The voice was too soft for Kurama to hear, but he remained patient.

The whispering had stopped, but Kurama didn't hear any clear words. Looking on the positive side, he was glad that the boy could speak. A scowl came onto the boy's face before he turned his face to look at Kurama. His body became taut again, and stretched out his hand toward Kurama, who took it without a second thought. It was after he landed outside the mansion that he figured out that had been a mistake. That, and he also made a mental note of never falling out a window from the second floor of a mansion. There was something even more stranger to that mansion. He had fallen out of the second floor, but nothing had happened to him. No pain that would shoot out throughout his body, nothing.

He stood up after being on the earth for a minute. After finding his strength, he walked up to the front gates, and climbed over them. Aside from the confusion, the concern for the boy, and the lack of flexibility in his muscles at the moment, the sole other discomfort turned out to be the missing shoes from his feet and the omitted jacket from his upper body. Yet, he figured that the boy had his reasons. And when he came back tomorrow, he would find out what they were.


	3. Chapter 3

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

**Chapter 3: To Gaze Into The Flame**

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A/N: I've been putting this everywhere, so here we go again. I apologize for any big mistakes there might be in this chapter. My glasses broke and now I am literally blind. Aside from that, thank you all for the reviews! And wow, some of you pointed out that part about Kurama falling out of the window. Thanks for all that! Special thanks to my beta Brokenshardsofhmyheart99!

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I've really been on a bender and it shows  
So why don't you blow me a kiss before she goes?

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Dragging himself home was not a good plan, he decided after stopping yet again to rest. Even sleeping on the lawn of the mansion would've been better. Still, he knew there was a solid reason for getting tossed out. The way the young boy did it was not out of discourtesy, but he was rather rapid about it. "Perhaps he was worried someone would find us there together," he whispered. The theory was a good one. If there was indeed someone else there, then that person could be the one that takes care of the boy. "Yet why would that send him into a panicked frenzy to throw me out as fast as possible?"

Straightening up again, he did his best to clean his feet from the collected dirt. It wasn't working, but he still continued, ignoring whatever messages his brain was sending him. Having dirt caked on the bottoms of your feet didn't feel pleasant, after all. With a sigh, he began walking home again. For some reason, the chance of someone he knew finding him looking like that did not bother him. Which was necessary since he took notice of two familiar people approaching him.

The two figures stopped, then ran to him with immense speed. "Kurama? What hell happened to you?" It was Yusuke that had asked, blunt as ever. Smiling, Kurama nodded at the pair. "Don't nod and smile, tell us what happened!" Though he knew his friends were worried at the moment, he couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Nothing. I feel better than I look, in fact," he answered them. Though it looked as if his friends didn't believe him. It wouldn't surprise him if they asked if he someone had forced him to lie. He raised a hand in order to silence them both before they ran their mouths. "I'll tell you both what happened, but first… Why are you two out here this late at night?"

Kuwabara and Yusuke exchanged a look, not a good one. It was the type that made you think twice about knowing the answer. "Well, nothing really…" Kuwabara answered. "We just… did stuff…" The vague answer made him blink.

"I see… So it's best I don't know, right?" he asked, teasing. After receiving two serious nods, he laughed. "Should I just tell you both what happened?"

It was Yusuke who nodded and shouted. "Yes!" The raven-haired teen began leading them to the small park nearby. It was such a short distance that it didn't even bothered Kurama. "Now tell us, you sly fox, what happened?"

Before speaking, he cleared his throat. "You remember the mansion?" he began, as vague as their answer had been. It looked as if Yusuke was going to have a fit, so he raised his arm again and continued. "I went there tonight," he said and kept going before Yusuke or Kuwabara interrupted him, "I met a boy in there. His eyes were a strange color, but they looked so lonely… As if no one offered him the proper attention or care. Though he never spoke once. Well, he did, but he whispered and I couldn't make much from it."

"You went there? Kurama, we agreed we were going to go together!" Yusuke shouted. It was no wonder Yusuke had led them there. If they had remained were they were, the police would've been called and they would've gotten into trouble for disturbing the peace. "Why the hell did you?"

The other teen coughed. "He's right, you know. What if you had died? Your family would've been worried and sad and… Why?"

Composing himself back to normal, he bowed his head. "Part of it was to prove myself. I admit, that was a stupid reason. However, I could not just sit by and not investigate that mansion!" Towards the end, he had raised his head and voice at them. Both of his friends had taken a step back, away from him.

As usual, it was Yusuke who ventured first. "Why the hell not? We promised you, you bastard!"

Kurama stood up. "That mansion's history was been based on rumors and myths hat are not real! The truth has been caged in, never to be released! There was someone in there that needed our help… He still needs our help! Give me a better reason, and I'll submit!"

No one moved. The silence was strained, but neither of them could speak. Kurama kept his eyes focused on his two friends. It looked as if Kuwabara was to speak first, since he managed to look away from him. However, Yusuke kept up the glaring contest between them.

"So how is he?" As expected, Kuwabara managed to break the ice.

Pushing his hair back, Kurama thought of how best to answer the question. "The boy seems frightened by someone. Abuse is one of the things I know happened. He was so filthy and hurt, but he was kind enough to help me hen I fainted."

At that Yusuke gasped. "You fainted? Shit, Kurama, you didn't tell us that!"

"I know, but-"

"No buts!" interrupted Yusuke. "We're taking you home right now. That kid can wait for one a couple of hours, but you…"

He managed to evade the grasp that Yusuke was about to make on his arm. "No! I refuse, Yusuke," he looked straight at them. "That boy needs our help right now! I was going to wait, but now I realize that would be a mistake." He softened up his voice. "Please, he needs us," he pleaded. The two teens gave in, he noticed after their shoulders slumped. "Thank you," he said to them. His feet still bothered him, but he knew he could live without shoes for a couple of hours.

"What happened to your shoes?" Yusuke asked. Kurama felt his face become warm at the thought of having to explain to them what had happened.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry for the short chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

**Chapter 4: Innocence**

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A/N: First, thank you all! Many of you have given this story a lot of attention with reviews and such, so thank you for that! Second, it's odd that so many people actually do like the story. I don't know why, but it means a great deal to me. Third… There's no third… Other than to let you know that this is NOT the end, no matter how the ending might sound like. Special thanks to my beta Brokenshardsofmyheart99!

_Give me a shot to remember  
And you can take all the pain away from me_

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The night seemed to bring out the unexpected side in people. As they had walked, Kurama and his two friends had seen everything from their teachers participating in illegal activities to people not helping those in need. Whenever he saw something like that, Kurama looked at his two friends. From the way they acted, it didn't seem as if they had seen anything new. Deciding that perhaps he shouldn't interfere with how the night worked, Kurama tried to block out every thing he saw. They had a mission to accomplish at the moment, and he knew that it was impossible to save all the people in the world whenever they were in danger.

Not having been far from the mansion, they had reached it in mere minutes. They stood staring at the impressive structure for some time before going in. However, rather than going over the fence like he had done, Yusuke managed to get it open for them to go in through. "The front or the back? It is likely that whoever is abusing the boy already knows about us, or myself at least," Kurama whispered to them. Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded in agreement.

"Either way, buddy, we'll be in for one hell of a time," Yusuke whispered back, grin on his face. Before deciding on an entrance, Yusuke took out a picture of Keiko and kissed it. When he and Kuwabara looked at him, with what he was sure were puzzling faces, Yusuke shrugged. "It's for… Never mind, you two wouldn't understand since you don't have girlfriends," he hissed at them, sounding more like a cat.

Kuwabara grunted. "For your information, Urameshi, I'm trying to concentrate more on my studies. Unlike you, I care about my marks!" he hissed louder. He and Yusuke soon engaged in a glaring match. Shaking his head, Kurama decided to break their petty fight up.

"We need to move," he said to them. Soon, both teens began to try to curb their laughter. Kurama was unsure of what was so laughable until he remembered his last word. "You two need to mature more. Not everything I say is sexual innuendo," he whispered, almost hissing too.

The raven-haired teen managed to control himself. "Yeah, well… Okay, I'll get serious!" he almost shouted. Grateful for that, Kurama nodded. "So we go through the rear," Yusuke said, winking at Kuwabara. It wasn't long before the two began laughing again before calming down once more.

During their laughter, Kurama wondered if he had made the right decision in coming back with Yusuke and Kuwabara. "Let's go," he muttered.

The trio got out from the bush they had been using as a hiding spot and began to run to the back of the mansion. To Kurama it felt like the second time around was more treacherous than the first. Then again, after being thrown out a window, it made sense. The mansion was not safe at all, and the people within it were a mystery. With each step they took, they dug themselves deeper into their graves. Yusuke was the first to reach the back doors. He looked inside and then back at them. After he waved at them to come, Kurama and Kuwabara made their way to him.

They communicated with gestures rather than words as they explored the first floor. Kurama noticed that everything was still the same. There was not a single thing that had gotten placed elsewhere. Even the paranoia was the same to him. Seeing that there was no one there, he gestured at the other two to head upstairs. With caution the group headed up the stairs and stopped when they had reached the top. Kuwabara looked at him, and he knew what he had to do. Being the single one that had been there, Kurama was going to lead them into the same hallway and same room he had been in before.

Accepting his role, he took the first step that lead down the hallway, looked back at his friends who nodded at him, and began to walk forward. With each step he took, his heart beat began to race more. What made him rather uneasy was how he had made it to the same room where he had seen the boy so fast and without any obstacles. Part of him had been expecting the same things that almost every single horror genre movie had. Or perhaps, like any horror movie, they would meet the psychotic killer once they opened the door.

Taking in a deep breath, he looked at his friends. They walked closer to him and placed themselves on his left and right side. Feeling safer, Kurama grasped the door knob, turned it, and opened the door. When the door opened all the way, he noticed that the room looked so unlike before. Rather than being somewhat unkempt, everything was thrown all over the room, almost as if a great force of nature had done it. One detail that made him almost gag was all the blood that looked as if it had been sprayed on the ceiling and walls on purpose.

The hands on his shoulders took him by surprise. "Take it easy, Kurama," Yusuke said to him from behind. If it wasn't for the trembling in Yusuke's hand, he might have done so. "This… What happened?" Kurama shook his head at his friend's question.

He noticed that Kuwabara no longer had his hand on his should when he saw him on the other side of the room, removing debris that Kurama had not noticed from the floor. Confused by his friend's actions, he turned to face Yusuke. The raven-haired teen shrugged and walked over to Kuwabara. Not wanting to be single one to not help, Kurama went too. "What are you doing, Kuwabara?" he whispered, voice quaking.

"There's someone underneath this. It's isn't must stuff, but it's heavy!" Kuwabara replied. Both he and Yusuke kept their mouths shut when they noticed a hand trying to remove all the debris from underneath it. It didn't take long for them to get done with most of it. However, one large piece of wood that reminded Kurama of a bookcase in his living room, remained. It was Yusuke who suggested that he and Kuwabara would try to remove it, but if they couldn't, then Kurama was to get who ever was underneath it and pull them out to safety.

During the first attempt, Kurama noticed the redness that both teens held in their faces. They hadn't been able to lift it up at all, but had given their best try. Yet, as expected, the two didn't give up and kept trying. Seeing how strong and tenacious they were, he felt a surge of motivation. "Yusuke, Kuwabara… Let me help you both," he pleaded. Whether it was his plea, their exhaustion, or something else, Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded. Kurama nodded at them before positioning himself in the front, with the other two on either side. It amazed him how they didn't even bother with counting to three aloud, but still managed to lift it up at the same time. Almost like magic, they managed to lift up the last piece of debris from the floor. The single problem was that no one came out from underneath it.

"Damn it! Get the hell out from there!" Yusuke shouted, struggling with the heaviness. The other teen didn't say anything aimed at the person underneath, but did swear out several words. "Hurry!" the raven-haired teen shouted again. When they received no response, Yusuke growled. "That's it! Kurama get in there and pull the idiot out! Kuwabara and I can hold this up, but you've got to be fast about it!"

He didn't need to be told again. "Thank you," he said to them before letting go. Not pausing to see how the two were, Kurama lowered himself to the ground and looked. It was the same boy from before, he noticed. It seemed that the boy noticed too since his eyes widened a little. Kurama knew that there wasn't much time before Yusuke and Kuwabara would let go, so he needed to act fast. "Do you remember me?" he asked, trying to sound as calm as he could. From above them, he heard Yusuke swear. The boy nodded, but did nothing else. "I brought two friends with me this time… Please, allow us to help you." Just as before, the boy's ruby eyes seemed to have shimmer when he had mentioned help. "If you wish, we could just help you out from underneath here and then leave you alone." Kurama kept searching the boy's eyes to see if they would go back to be being lifeless. Rather than that action, the boy began to crawl to him, lowing himself closer the floor at times. The actions shocked Kurama, but not as much as when they boy got out from there and threw himself at his arms. Reacting as fast as possible, Kurama embraced him and jumped before his two friends could no longer hold on.

The house shook when the bookcase, or at least Kurama decided that's what it had been, fell to the floor. Clouds of dust rose up, making them all cough. He had heard Yusuke shout something, but he couldn't tell what it was. After pulling himself back to his feet, as well as the boy, he felt a hand grasp his arm. Whatever Yusuke had shouted was made clear to him when the hand began pulling him out of the room. Not wanting to leave the boy behind, Kurama held on to him. As they ran down the stairs, he could feel the boy's fingers dig into his arm and back. It would've caused him to feel pain, but surviving rather than being buried under ruble seemed to matter more at the moment.

Kurama didn't know if any of them was sure of how they had found their way out of the mansion through the front. Yet they had ran out from the front doors and out of the gates in the front yard too. When they had passed through the front gates, he felt the boy's nails embed further into skin. There was no way of knowing if it was out of sorrow or relief, but he made sure to remember. When they had reached the park once again, where they had had their first talk about the particular mansion, they stopped running and caught their breaths. It had been Yusuke who had escorted them out of the mansion, and it had been Kuwabara who had grasped his arm. Trying to not pass out from all of the exercise, Kurama sat down on a bench. They boy was still holding on to him, with is head on Kurama's chest.

It felt odd to have anyone that close to him. Even his two best friends knew better than to hold him like that, but Kurama didn't feel as uneasy as he thought he would've felt. Having the boy like that felt just like when held his younger brother after he had had a nightmare. "You're safe now," he whispered to the boy, petting his hair. There was no cringing from the boy, which was remarkable since he had always thought the boy would push him away or at least shudder.

"He's safe, but… Damn it, Kurama, I hope we don't get in trouble for destroying a mansion!" Kuwabara shouted. It seemed Yusuke agreed with the worried light red-haired teen since he had his head in his hands and wasn't looking up.

Shaking his head, he opened his mouth. "Not if we keep quiet about it." That caused his two friends to look at him with startled eyes. "I admit that it was a perilous and imprudent idea to go, but we saved someone from there… That's far more significant than destroying property," he elaborated. "And it is something that we will never do again."

Yusuke laughed. "Kuwabara, we're definitely a bad influence on him!"

"No kidding," Kuwabara said, trying to curb his laughter but failing.

For a moment everything seemed as if I would have a cheerful ending. The type that some horror movies had at the end. Yet Kurama knew that there was far more they would have to face. "Morning is approaching," he said to the now composed teens. On his chest, he felt the boy's head move. When he looked down, he saw the crimson eyes gaze beyond him and to the sky. The one thing Kurama was not looking forward to was explaining to his parents how they had acquired another mouth to feed. When the sun at last was visible, he felt a shiver go through his body. When the boy pulled himself to closer to his body, Kurama was almost tempted to think that they had both felt the same sensation.


	5. Chapter 5

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

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Chapter 5: Breaking

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A/N: Special thanks to Brokenshardsofmyheart99, who would've checked this if there had been time. I'm sorry for taking so long. Thank you for the lovely reviews. I appreciate every single one of them.

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A kiss and I will surrender

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Yusuke remained long after Kuwabara had departed from them, for fear of angering his sister. "You sure about this? I could take the kid back to my house. My mom probably won't even notice him," Yusuke offered.

Feeling the young boy's hand tighten on his arm, Kurama nodded. "You could take him," he said and felt the boy's grip strengthen, enough to leave a bruise. "However, I don't think he would feel as safe. It's a kind offer, Yusuke. Thank you, but I think I'll come up with a lame reason for having a guest over." The boy's hand relaxed, but it still felt tense.

"If you say so. I'll call you later to see how things are going, okay?" With a quick wave, Yusuke began to walk away.

Although they were still alone, Kurama felt as if they were being watched. It was an odd sensation to be feeling when the streets were empty. Shaking his thoughts away, he focused on the boy in his arms. "We should get going. Until I come up with an excuse, you'll have to be very quiet. Try not to make any noise when we're in my room, okay?" he asked.

The boy's crimson eyes glinted, like rubies in the sun. He nodded, his response to his question. "I want to ask what your name is, but I have a feeling that you won't tell me. Just know that you're safe now." In his arms, the boy nodded once before resting his head against his shoulder.

It had been a very good thing that his parents and step-brother had not been home. When they had reached the front door, Kurama had realized that his keys were missing. No matter where he looked for them, he couldn't find them. "I had them a while ago," he muttered as he switched the boy to his other arm. Although he had tried to carry the boy and search for his keys at the same time, it proved to be difficult for him to manage. They both fell down, the boy on top of him. "Not one of my brightest ideas, is it?" he asked the boy, who shook his head with what resembled a glare on his face.

Sitting up, he bit his lip as he thought of an idea. Before long, the boy began to tug at his hair, which made him cry out. The boy stopped tugging his hair in an instant. "Thanks," he said, but noticed that the boy was no longer near him. Turning to his left, he saw the boy holding up his arms in a defensive manner. It looked as if he expected to be struck.

"Do you think I'm angry?" His question caused the boy to look up at him, eyes still wary. Shaking his head, he said, "I'm not, really. Come here, so we can find a way inside my home." Although it took a few minutes, the boy got up and walked to him. As he neared him, Kurama expected the boy to stay by his side, but the boy embraced him instead.

"The window!" he shouted, causing the boy the jump and look up at him. Realizing what had happened, Kurama sighed. "I, uh, got an idea. Forgive me for startling you." The boy didn't say anything, but it looked as if he received yet another glare. "Let's go through my bedroom window. It's probably not locked," he explained.

The two managed to climb up the window. Or rather, Kurama climbed while the boy held on to him, making that much tougher to maneuver. Once inside, he placed the boy on the bed. "You can lie down," he managed to say before collapsing to the floor. As if he had never had any oxygen in his life, he began to take in air into his lungs.

Once his breathing had gone back to normal, he sat up on the floor and looked up at the boy on the bed. Instead of sitting down and remaining still, he was moving about. The many awards Kurama had on the walls (on his Mother's insistence) captivated the boy. When the boy turned to look at him, Kurama knew what he wanted at once.

Smiling, he nodded. "You can touch them. In fact, you can play with them if you want too. As you can see, I don't have many toys you can play with. The awards could be your playthings, if you want," he offered. Not wasting any time, the boy reached up and snatched the award Kurama had won for the science fair last year.

The boy, however, didn't play with it. Although he didn't treat the award with care, he did not mutilate it, either. It seemed the boy just wanted to read what it said on them. "Hopefully I won't offend you with this question, but can you read?" he asked, trying to look at the boy's eyes. After a brief pause, in which it seemed that the boy was trying to decide something, he nodded.

Biting his lip, he looked away for a moment. When he turned to face the boy, he was still looking at the award. "It says different, doesn't it? My name on that award is my real name. Kurama is just a nickname. Although, I do prefer it to what my birth name is." The boy nodded, understanding what he had meant.

He took in a breath before speaking. "Will you tell me your name? I'd hate to have to call you 'boy' or something else you might not like." From the look on the boy's face, it didn't appear as if he was going to receive an answer. "Please. It will be helpful to know it. I promise, though, that I won't tell anyone your name if you don't wish me to."

Throwing the award to the floor, the boy shook his head before jumping off the bed and landing on top of the award. Sighing, Kurama stood up. "I pushed you and for that I'm sorry," he said, walking toward the boy.

An odd sensation came upon his body at an instant. It felt as if he had been washed down by a wave of hot water, then by cold. In seconds he felt himself collapse. Before he passed out, he saw the boy, nearing him with his hands outstretched. After hearing a loud screech, he entered darkness.

Although he knew he was no longer awake, he could see. The atmosphere felt real, not like a dream. It was as if he were trapped in between reality and dream. He was on a bed. The red sheets changed hues, like watching waves of red water moving. Even though his hands and feet were not bound, he couldn't move a single part of his body.

Looking up, he could see no ceiling, just a dark tunnel that didn't appear to have a light at the end of it. The walls were there, but several shadow hands moved all over it. They made rude gestures, beckoned him to get up, and imitated guns that were pointed at him. It was like watching a twisted version of shadow puppets.

In front of him, blocking the view of the wall, came the boy he and his friends had rescued. There was an uncertain look on his face. Kurama tried to talk, but couldn't. Warning the boy to get out was futile. Looking over his shoulder once, the boy moved toward the bed.

He climbed it and positioned himself over him. They were not face-to-face, but they were close enough that Kurama realized that his clothes were gone. In front of him, the boy too was bare. Several scars on the boy's body were visible. In particular, the scar he had on his upper left thigh stood out. Unlike the others, this one was bleeding.

Looking at the boy once more, Kurama knew what was about to happen. Chains appeared from the walls without warning. Rather than tying him down, they struck his body, always avoiding harming the boy. He felt pain along with the heaviness of the chains. They struck his body and made fresh markings. Blood ran out of his body, creating ribbons that restrained him further.

Before he knew it, the boy entered him. Feeling the boy move inside him, he opened his mouth to shout, but didn't hear any noise. Not being in the same state as he, the boy's groans were audible. The voice was not as young as he had expected to hear, but it did not sound as cruel as he now thought it would have sounded like.

It was impossible to tell if he was bleeding from inside, but he was certain that the boy had injured him. Opening his eyes, the chains stopped beating him. They retreated back to where they had come from. Looking up, he laid eyes on the boy.

What he saw, though, was something that caused him stop feeling pain for a mere moment. The boy didn't look like a boy. In fact, he looked older than Kurama did. Or perhaps he could not see as well as he thought he could. It didn't make sense, but before he could try to think about it, the boy came.

The tunnel above him turned white, illuminating the rest of room. In what felt like minutes, he was no longer in that room. The sun entered through the window, flashing light on his eyes. Not waiting for the lightheadedness to quell, he sat up.

Kurama was on his bed, alone. The boy was sitting on a chair, looking at him. The expression on his face was not like before. It had become much more complex. Trying to smile, he said, "Hello. Sorry to have frightened you… Hiei."


	6. Chapter 6

**Within Darkness We Find Love**

**Chapter 6: A Meeting of Fate**

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_The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead_

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The sun had gone down when he had come to. Realizing minutes had gone by without either of them speaking Kurama bit his lip and rested his head on the palms of his hands. The boy he and his friends had rescued stared at him, silent and observing all that he did. He was sitting on the only chair in his room, the one meant to be in front of his desk, but it was now in front of the bed. It had not slipped his mind what he had called him. It was a strange name to him, but it held such a familiar presence nonetheless.

Moving slightly, the boy raised his head and appeared to be waiting for him to speak. After clearing his throat, he obliged. "You may not have the answer, but how do I know your name? Well, I am assuming it is your name. Were you able to see my… dream?" It was a lame finish, but his mind was not working as well as he had liked it to be.

Licking his lips, the boy brought his head down. Seconds ticked by until, after a sharp intake of breath, the boy spoke. "That wasn't a dream, but yes, I saw it. Hiei is my name." Kurama had been expecting the boy's voice to be younger, but like in his dream (as he had decided to name it), the boy's voice was deep.

As soon as he heard the words, he gathered the blanket on his bed and draped it around his body. The tiny smirk on Hiei's face was proof of how timid and virgin-like Kurama was. "If it was not a dream, then what was it? To be frank, I have more questions I would like to ask and get answers to. Will you provide them, if you can?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Hiei rose. Pacing around, he replied, "Always happens around humans. You're all too curious and it usually lands you in nothing but trouble."

Lifting an eyebrow at what he had just considered an insult, Kurama snapped, "Aren't you one?"

"I won't reveal anything unless I get something in return!" Hiei demanded.

Though he knew punishment was likely to happen, Kurama could not let go of the opportunity. Grabbing the pillow behind him, he threw it at Hiei. With a smirk of his own he said, "Now reveal something."

With the smirk now gone from his face, the man picked up the pillow and tore it apart, making sure to throw the pieces back at Kurama. "Not that kind of something!" he hissed, white teeth gleaming. It took a brief moment, but the man took a breath in before speaking again. "That dream isn't exactly a dream."

Before Kurama was able to open his mouth and make a remark, Hiei continued. "No one really knows what it is, but it's the first time I've seen it. They told me it would be impossible to refuse. Go to that place, I mean." Sitting back down on the chair, he looked at the floor. "They were right. For years, I thought I was strong enough to deny it, but it overtook me. Are you sore?"

It took him a moment to realize what Hiei had meant, but when he did, it was all he could focus on. "Not much," he lied, but quickly nodded affirmatively. "Do you think I'm bleeding?" he almost whispered the question.

"Probably not, but you better check."

At that, Kurama grimaced. "You sound as if you're certain I've done this before," he accused him. The man did not respond, but he did look at him. "I haven't, if you must know. For that matter, I never wanted to! Furthermore what you just answered doesn't make sense to me." There was much more he needed to say, but he felt his chest ache and decided against it.

"Well, congratulations, you just lost your virginity!" Hiei spat. The man stood up, bashing the chair down. In a blink, he went from sitting to shoving Kurama against the wall behind his bed. "Welcome to your life, you pathetic being! It is not going to be something you will like, but fuck what you like. Not everyone gets a welcome as nice as yours."

Taking hold of the hand Hiei had around his neck, Kurama looked at him. Their gaze did not last much before Kurama looked away. Within Hiei's ruby eyes, all he was able to see was darkness unlike any other he himself had looked at before. It was extraordinary, but it was not something he could bear to see for an elongated period.

Digging his nails into Hiei's skin did not get him any farther than kicking at him. "Unhand me!" he shouted. As if obeying his command, Hiei dropped him and moved away from him. Kurama looked up at him as he stroked the skin around his neck.

"You could've killed me," Kurama panted.

"I could've killed you," Hiei confirmed.

Curling his fingers toward his palm, Kurama moved away from the bed. "What is wrong with you?" he almost shouted again. By his opinion, he thought he should have, considering there was a strange man who used to be a strange boy in his room alone with him. As he neared the bedroom door, he could feel warm liquid escaping from his body in his hand. The drops stained the floor beneath him.

Hiei stood by the window, though his back was to it. "Was I really your first?" he asked obviously grudgingly.

"Why would someone my age lie about that? My friends tease me about it every chance they get. Now could you answer my questions or would you rather I call the police?" That would have been a great action from him, and probably something he should have done right away. Yet he stood close to an exit, ignoring it, and talking to someone who had raped him, even if it had been in what appeared to have been a dream.

"You weren't lying?" Kurama shook his head, making the unusual man scowl. "That can't be right. Are you sure?"

The questions regarding his virginity had passed the humiliated level. "I think I would know if I had lost it before. Yes, I am positive. You, my rapist, are the first!" It would have been comical if he had been watching this on a fictional television program. Now it was getting to be too much.

Kicking the chair in his direction, Hiei blocked the door. "It would have happened in what you call a dream. No?" Kurama shook his head again. "He didn't do it." The scowl the man had been wearing vanished for a moment. "Why did you go to the mansion? What drew you there? Did anyone lead you to that place?"

"I shall answer your questions if you answer mine," he offered. There was not any hesitation from the other man. "My friend and I walked by it yesterday. When we did we saw someone sitting in front of the mansion, on the grass inside the gates." The teen briefly wondered about how much he should say. Omitting the macabre and degrading details the rumors his friends had told him was most likely a good idea. "We were intrigued by seeing someone there so we decided to probe the next day. Unlike them, the idea of someone living in that decrepit place did not sit well with me. Therefore, I went by myself that very night. I am still trying to settle on whether it was a good thing to do or the worst mistake I ever made. Take your pick, but I'm betting on the second."

Nodding, Hiei walked closer to him. "Who did you see? Could you describe him?"

Closing his eyes Kurama moved his head side to side. "I'll answer that after you provide an answer to my query." Hiei sneered and Kurama took that as his cue. "Do not think I am trying to flatter myself, but why did you do this to me?" It had taken him a minute to phrase the question the way he did and still it sounded stupid to him.

Looking away from him, Hiei shrugged. "There is more than one explanation for that. I, myself, am not certain of them all." Kurama frowned, but waited to hear more. "It was a mixture of my nature and yours, or something like that. It is in my nature to dominate those who reek of submissiveness, and you are one of them. If you get noticed a lot by people it's most likely from that stench, not your looks or personality."

"Is it possible for you to not criticize me for one minute?" he asked, interrupting Hiei.

"You wanted an explanation, right? That's mine," he growled, obviously trying not to punch the redhead. "Now answer my question! Can you describe the person you saw?"

Sighing, Kurama closed his eyes. "You can give me an eternity, but I can't do that. That person had something on which covered him completely, and he was turned away from us. Is it important for me to remember?"

"It wasn't me. I haven't been out of there in ages." The man walked around the room until he came to the desk. "What else do you want to know?" he asked as he took a seat on top of the desk.

Watching the man sit on his desk was strange. There, at that moment, it all shattered. The man was callous and belligerent, and from the way he sat, he knew it had all been a mistake. "Honestly I do not want to know anything else. You are either delusional or a horrible liar to come up with this excuse. I refuse to believe anything that comes from your mouth." He took in a shaky breath. "Please, just leave. You already collected what you wanted, so please…" he beseeched, unable to look at the man.

"I still have questions," he began, but paused. Hiei walked to him, but he never invaded his personal space. "Then again you probably wouldn't be any use," he concluded as soon as Kurama felt tears leak out from his eyes.

Kurama heard the footsteps retreat. His eyes averted anything but his feet; it was all he felt he could do. For a fleeting second, he wanted to take back his plead. Eyes wide, he rejected the thought.

Though his clothes were tattered and could've been changed, Hiei headed for the window. Just as he reached it, he moved away from it. "Fuck," the teen heard him mutter. As if none of the events had occurred, Kurama was tempted to ask him what was wrong now. "My body changed," he answered his unspoken question.

"Will it keep you from leaving?" the redheaded teen asked, voice faint.

After thinking it over for a quiet minute, Hiei responded with a grunt. "You destroyed my home, if I remember correctly. Where can I go?"

There were eyes on him, the teen knew. They sucked away the joy he knew and pierced him in a most painful manner. As much as he wanted to look into those eyes and tackle the man, he could not. His feet would not budge and his voice would go no louder.

As he was trying to find something to respond with a new thought hit him. Kurama looked at Hiei - or rather at Hiei's feet while thinking it over. Sharing the thought could cause several problems, but keeping it sealed did not appeal to him. He chewed his lower lip before coming to a decision.

"There was a person living with you there. Can't you go with him?"

He expected to hear new questions regarding the mystery person; he expected to hear Hiei worry over said person; he expected to hear complaints. What his ears caught was unexpected.

"What are you talking about?"

Raising his head, the teen's eyes narrowed. "If the figure I saw on the front was not you, then it can only mean it was whoever lived with you. You threw me out of the window because of him at least I think so. When I met you there you feared him."

Hiei, who was now sitting on the floor, scoffed. "There's no one I fear." Shifting his leg so that his right knee was to his chest, he shook his head. "Is that really where we met?"

Their conversation reached the awkward stage and passed it. Now it was threatening to bypass the vexed level with the ridiculous questions. "Stop your lies. You know you met me there! Just know you questioned me about why I went there in the first place!" This time when he spoke his attention zeroed in on the small changes the boy had gone through.

Even though he was sitting down his increase in height was obvious. Somehow, his clothes still suited him, not that they were perfect to start with, but they covered most of his body. The flesh that was exposed looked dark, as if he had had contact with the sun. Not only did it look dark, but also it was firm. It was like the type of firmness that Yusuke and Kuwabara had from working out a lot.

Bowing his head gracefully, the older man spoke, "I don't remember that. You had to go into the mansion for me to get out, which is how I knew you had gone in there. My state of mind has changed and my memories along with it. When you met me I was younger than you, right?"

He waited until the redhead nodded to continue.

"I'm speaking the truth, there's no honor in lying," he stated, each word heavier than the last. The weight of the words made Kurama cringe. Watching his reaction, Hiei grunted. "Don't worry about me leaving. You've made it obvious you don't want me around." He stood up and faced the window. "If what you said is true, then you better watch your back. If I fear someone, then you don't stand a chance at living much longer."

Opening the window, Hiei allowed the cool night air to fill the room. Kurama's heart began to beat faster. Without much of a struggle, the man set one leg out of the room and then the other until his face was visible to the teen. Nothing was readable on it, but before he could understand it, Kurama was approaching the window. Hiei, who was now beginning to climb down, looked at him for a moment before closing the window.

From where he stood, he could see Hiei land perfectly well. Afterward, without dithering, he began to walk away from the house. Kurama's hands were now on the window. He did not know whether he wanted to lock it or open it.

Soon Hiei was a distant figure, far away from him. Not quite with enthusiasm, his fingers locked the window. Hiei's last words rang in his head. Threat or not he did not know, nor did he tremble with fear.

On his way to his bed, he picked up his phone. When his head hit the bed, his fingers began to dial from memory. There was a short wait before the phone stopped ringing. A voice greeted him and he felt himself smile as tears began to pour.


End file.
